Music leaf turner



Feb. 16, 1932. L. M. TARTAGLIA MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed Aug. 8, 1928 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE LEONARDO M. TARTAGLIA, OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO MUSIC LEAF TURNER Application filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,328.

This invention relates to certain new imadapted to be connected with the sheets or pro'vements in music leaf turners and more pages of said book to turn the same: These particularly to the class of such devices in arms are mounted in a horizontalplanesubwhich the turning arms are operated by' 'a. stantially parallel to the upper edges of the spring or elastic means. sheets of music, and their operation is con 55 The subject matter 7 of this invention controlled by a-suitable electro-magnetic mechastitutesan improvement over that described. nism, adapted to be operated by the foot of and claimed in the prior UnitedStates Pat the musician. To turn the sheets of' music ent No. 1,667 ,908,-'issued toCarmine Tartag-L from an initial position at the right of the 10 lia May 1, 1928. music rest to the left side thereof, it is neces-' to One of the objects of this invention is to sary only for the musician. to touch a switch furni'sh a device which may beattached to button with his foot. the piano, organ or otherinstruments, or to In order to make my invention more cleara music stand and which maybe operated 1y understood, 1 have shown in the accom' conveniently by the performer by a: slight panying drawings means for carrying the pressure of his foot upon a switch pedal. same into practical effect, without limiting Another object of thisinventiOn'istopro4 the improvements in their useful applications vide electrically operatedil-means .in connecto the particular constructions, which for the tion with a'music leaf turner for controlling: purpose of explanation, have'been made the the operation thereof. subject of illustration. in

Another object of this invention is topro' In the drawings: vide means for controlling the operation of a Figure 1 is a front view showing a music plurality of music leaf turnersin unison: book'mounted upon the music rest, and the Still another object of this invention isito manner .of securing leaves to theturning or provide a device whoseconstructionzis simple carrying arms, together with the electro-magis 1 and durable and not likely to getrout of order netically operated release mechanism.

or become disarranged. Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed side ele- With these and other objects in view which. vation of the electro-magnetically controlled" may be incident tomy improvements, the inmechanism for retaining I and releasing "the- 39 vention consists in the parts and-combina-h leafcarrying arms.

tions to behereinafter set forth'and claimed,- Figure 3 is a detailed view of the'ele'ctro with the understandingthat the several :neces magnetically operated release mechanism sary elements comprising myinvention, may taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

be varied in construction,proportions and ar- Figure 4: is a sectional view through the rangement, without departing from the spirit electromagnet, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; and scope of the appended claims. As shown in Figure 1 my invention com My'improved device consists of J. a base prises a baseboard 1 which may be mounted which may be mounted above the keyboard above the keyboard of a pianoor like inof a piano orupon a base such asis commonly" strument or on a base similar to those comused for music stands, and upon which is monly used for music stands. Mounted onpreferably mounted a metallic rest bent the base-board 1 is a member 2 which serves: slightly outwardly from a vertical central as a combined support and bearing for a line. The lower edge of the rest is turned uprod 3. wardly at an angle tothe body portion there= The purpose of the rod 3 is to support .a

of, so as to afford a suitable support for a series of carrying or turning: arms 4 which music book. A suitable binding rod orv nar-I pivot thereon; vEach of these arms is prefrow plate is positioned verticallydo'wn the erablyformed from metal and is bifurcated center line of the-book; so as to :holdit'ini. to' form an upper member or shank 5anda 5 proper position. a lower member 6, the upper member being.

From'a-n' upper support extend lateral. arms longer than the lower, and provided near its the base-board 1 is providedwith ahook 9,

to which is attached one end of a series of elastic bands 10, the free ends of which extend across the guide 11, and are each fastened to one of the series of turning arms 4 by means of the ears 8.

As soon as one of the arms 4 becomes free to move as will hereinafter appear, the elasticity of the band 10 imparts momentum to said turning arm and causes the latter to move from a position on one side of the rod 3, to a position on the other side thereof. The points of attachment of the elastic bands are such that the drag upon the leaf carrying arms will be exerted in practically the same plane, thus insuring smooth operation of the arms. Of course the guide 11 projects from the base-board 1 a distance suficient to cause the bands 10 to move the arms 4 from one side to the other.

Mounted a suitable distance below the member 2 on the base-board 1 is 21.311611 or rack 12 adapted to support a book of music. The shelf or rest is so shaped as to prevent the sheets supported thereby from slipping or being accidentally displaced. The central portion of the shelf 12 is cutaway to permit thelower portion of a binding rod 13 carried by the lower end of rod 3 to engage with a hook 14.

Figure 1 shows a music book arranged in place on the rack 12 and held in position by the binding rod 13. Each of the pages or leaves of the hook is provided adjacent its upper edge with a plurality of grommets 15. Thefree ends of the grommets are provided with eyelets through which the lower portions 6 of the turning arms. pass.

Upon the upper part of the base-board is secured an electro-magnetically controlled de vice 16, adapted to cooperate with the free ends of the arms 4 to retain them in position and release them one at a time.

As shown in Figure 2 the arm release mechanism comprises a horizontally extending block 17 of suitable material secured to baseboard 1 and provided on the endthereof with a nose 18. Also secured to the baseboard 1. immediately beneath the block 17 and helping to sustain the same is another block 19. The latter is provided with openings adapted to receive rods 20 and 21 secured to plate 22 which is held in position by the block 19. These rods carry springs 23 and 24, which yieldingly act ona follow plate 25 slidably mounted on the rods 20 and 21. Suitable plates 26 are mounted on the lower block 19 and extend out from base-board 1 parallel to the block 17 to provide a support for the ends of arms 4.

Plates 26 extend laterally from the baseboard 1 to a point adjacent the nose member 18. There is sufiicient space laterally between the nose 18 and plates 26 to permit an arm 4 to pass therebetween, but the vertical space between the plates 26 and nose 18 is small enough so that the nose 18 will retain the arms in position. Spring means 38 are mounted on the plates 26 to prevent the arms 4 accidentally slipping between the nose 18 and plates 26 to be released.

Mounted on the top of block 17 is an i electrically operated device adapted to re.- lease the arms 4 held between block 17 and plates 26 by the nose 18. This device comprises a coil of wire 27 wound on a spool 28. A cup shaped device 29 is secured 011 the top of block 17 by securing means 30, and serves as a receptacle for the spool 28, carrying the coil of wire 27.

Spool 28 is cored, forminga space 31 in which a suitable armature 32 susceptible to magnetism operates. An abutment 31 is fixed in the bottom ofthe space 31 to limit the downward movement of the armature 32. The abutment 31 and the armature 32 are of such sizes that the bottom of a yoke 33, carried by the armature 32, and adapted to move in a vertical path, will extendbelow by fastening means 37. The spring operates to retain the yoke 33 and the attached armature 32 in an elevated position.

The material forming yoke 33 is of a size smaller than the thickness of arms 4. Yoke 33 is adapted to bear on an arm 4 to force the same past the nose 18 against the action of spring 38 to permit the release thereof.

36, securely mounted on'the top of block 17 When the first arm 4 is released the springs23 and 24 cause the follow plate 25 to pushthe group of arms 4 forward until one of the arms contacts with the nose 18.

The coil 27 of the solenoid is connected in series by wiring 39 with a suitable foot opera-ted'switch 40 to 'ajsourceof electricity. When the switch 40 is operated, anv electric current flows through the same and the coil 27 of the magnetic device. This causes a magnetic flux to be set up'which causes the armature 32 to be drawn downwardly into the solenoid. ,Thedownward movement of nausea;

the armature 32 of course causes the yoke 33 to move downward forcing one of the arms 4 past nose 18 to be released. When the current is shut off, spring 35 pulls the armature 32 and yoke 33 back to their former position.

In operation a music book having leaves provided with suitable grommets is placed on the rack 12 of the baseboard 1; the lower parts 6 of arms 4 are passed through the grommets and engaged with the hooks 7. The binding rod 13 is secured in place to retain the book in position and hold the pages, for proper turning. After all necessary adjustments are made the arms 4 are turned to the right and secured between block 17 and plates 26 by the nose 18 and cooperating spring 38 as shown in Figure 2. In performing, when the musician desires a page to be turned, he operates the foot switch 40, requiring very little exertion on his part, to permit the electric curent to flow through the coil 27.

The electric current in flowing through coil 27 causes a magnetic flux to be set up, which affects the armature 32 causing it to be drawn into the core of the solenoid. Due to this action the attached yoke 33 moves downwardly and pushes an arm 4 past the nose 18 against the force of spring 38. When the musicians foot leaves the switch 40, the armature and yoke are drawn upwardly into their former position by the spring 35. The springs 23 and 24 act on the follow plate 25 pushing the group of arms 4 forward until the first one engages the nose 18.

When one of the arms 4 is released from the mechanism 16, the tension in the elastic band 10 causes the arm to move over to the other side, thereby turning the page of the music book.

If desired, a plurality of music leaf turners may be electrically connected so as to be operated in unison by a sin le control switch. For instance, in the case 0 an orchestra, the switch could be operated by the orchestra leader, relieving the musicians from the necessity of turning pages. Such an arrangement would also be desirable in turning to particular selections.

Thus it can be seen that this invention affords a means of turning pages of music in a manner requiring a minimum effort on the part of the musician. My invention also serves to retain the leaves of music in position, which is particularly desirable in the case of loose .sheets of music.

While I have shown and described the pre ferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention,or exceedingsthescope .of the 21p,- pended claims I claim:

1. Ina music leaf turnerfor use'with-rmu sic leaveshavingeyelets. thereon, a baseboard, .a'rod mounted on the base-board,1a I

bifurcated arm mounted upon the rod,,a'

downwardly projectinghookon one forkofv the arm, the other fork adapted to be en.-

gaged' bythe-hook and adapted toengage the eyelets on the music leaves, a downwardly projecting finger at the free end of the arm and electrically controlled means. operatively associated with said finger.

2.'In a music leaf turner aplurality of pivoted bifurcated arms, a hook for securingv the bifurcations of each arm together, one of the bifurcations of each arm engaging eye- 1 lets on a leaf of music, acurved guide above said arms, elastic members secured to each of the arms and a stationary hook and passing overthecurved guide, a release mechanism engagingthe free end of each bifurcated arm and adapted to release the arms consecutively, and electric means for operating said release mechanism.

3. In amusic leaf turner for use with music leaves having eyelets thereon, a baseboard, a rod mounted on the base-board, a plurality of turning arms pivotally mounted upon the rod, each arm comprising a shank, a bifurcated arm integral with the shank, a hook carried by one of the bifurcations adapted to engage the free end of the other bifurcations,-one of the arms beinglonger than the other and provided withv a down-' wardly projecting finger'on the free end thereof, and electrically operated means for controlling the operation of said arms.

4. In a music leaf turner for use with music leaves having eyelets thereon, a bracket, a plurality of turning arms pivotally mounted upon said bracket, each turning arm comprising a shank having an integral arm, a spring attaching ear upon the arm, a downwardly directed hook carried by the arm, a downward projection upon the free end of the arm engaging a releasing mechanism, a stem integral with the arm adapted to be received and held in close position by said hook and to engage the eyelets on the music leaves and electrical means for operating said release mechanism.

5. In a music leaf turner for use with music leaves having eyelets thereon, a baseboard supporting a rod, a spring-actuated arm pivotally mounted upon said rod and having a hook and stem thereon, said stem adapted to engage eyelets on the music leaves and be held in a closed position by said hook, and electrically operated means for controlling movement of said arms.

6. In a music leaf turner, a plurality of spring actuated turning arms, spring actuated means for retaining a plurality of said arms in one position and releasing them one at a time, including an electro-magnetically operatedyoke. V V

7 Ina music leaf turner having aplurality of turning arms, elastic means for actuating said arms, means for retaining a plurality of said arms in one position, comprising a block having an overhanging projection, spring means for retalnlng sald arms behlnd said projection and electric means for moving said arms past said projection.

8. In a music leaf turner having a plurality i of turning arms, elastic means for actuating said arms, means for retaining a plurality of'said arms in one position, comprising a block having an overhanging projection, spring means for retaining said arms behind said projection and means operated by V a solenoid'for moving said arms past said so i projection.

9. Ina music leaf turner having a plurality of turning arms, elastic means for actu ating said arms, means for retaining a plurality of said arms in one position, comprising a block having an overhanging projection, spring means for retaining said arms behlnd' said projection and a yoke operated by a solenoid for moving said arms past said proj ection, one at a time.

10. In a music leaf turner a plurality of turning arms carrying leaves of music, elastic means for actuating said arms, means for retaining said arms in one position and releasing them one at a time comprising a projection, means for retaining said arms behind said projection, a solenoid operated yoke adapted to move said arms past said projection, and means for returning said yoke to its normalposition.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LEONARDO M. ,TARTAGLIA'. 

